376 A VOYAGE TO Book IX, 



carried on a continual and large commerce both with 

 Europe and America. Louifbourg was not, however, 

 the only port where the French vefiels loaded with 

 cod, greater numbers going themfelves to fifh at 

 Newfoundland, off the coaft of Petit Norde, and on 

 the bank, as will be more particularly feen in the fe- 

 queL Befides the inhabitants of Louifbourg, great 

 numbers of French were fettled along the coaft of the 

 neighbouring iflands, particularly that of St. John, 

 -where befides their dwellings they had ftorehoufes 

 and all the appurtenances of a fifhery ; which being 

 the moft profitable occupation, and the gain lefs un- 

 certain, very few applied themfelves to the cultivation 

 of the country : indeed, its being in winter covered 

 with fnow, lometimes to the depth of three or four 

 feet, and even not diffolved till fummer was pretty 

 far advanced, hufoandry feemed to want a requifite 

 time for the produds to attain their proper maturity. 

 Nor could any confiderable graziery be followed here, 

 being obliged for the fupport of the few cattle they 

 had, to lay up a winter's ftock of hay, and to keep 

 them houftd all that leafon, till the fum^mer's heat had 

 removed the fnow from the paftures, the richnefs of 

 which, in a great meafure, compenfated for this 

 dreary feafon ; and the quick growth of the corn and 

 other produds for the length and feverity of the 

 winter. 



In this and the adjacent iflands were a confiderable 

 number of inhabitants, born in the country, or on the 

 main land: and what is remarkable, thefe Indians not 

 only refemble thofe of Peru in complexion and afped ; 

 there is alfo a confiderable affinity in their manners and 

 cuftoms ; the only vinbie difference is in ftature, and 

 this advantage lies vifibly on the fide of the inhabit 

 tants of thefe northern climates. 



These natives, whom the French term favages, 

 were not abfolutely fubjeds of the king of France, nor 

 entirely independent of hiin. They acknowledged 



